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Poet Laureate 'amazed' by our writers
IT has been 10 years since former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes died.
But the Mytholmroyd-born poet's legacy is still inspiring writers of all ages, particularly this week as the Ted Hughes Festival got under way.
A week of events began last night at the Ted Hughes Theatre at Calder High School, Mytholmroyd, with the presentation of the Ted Hughes Young Poets' Award by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.
And the joint winners in the age six to 10 years section were brothers Hugo and Dualtagh Grundy, of Balmoral Street, Hebden Bridge.
Hugo, six, of Stubbings Infant School, wrote A Town of Trees.
He said: "I got the idea from a book I'm reading called The Hobbit."
Dualtagh, seven, of Old Town Primary School, wote Picking Bilberries.
"I was inspired to write it when I went walking in Cragg Vale," he said. "I would like to be a poet when I grow up."
Mr Motion said: "I have never read such amazingly good poems. They are so attentive to the world. They have alive ears.
"I was friendly with Ted. I knew him best in the last 10 years of his life. He would encourage me as a writer. He would make me feel as if I would go out into the world wearing a suit of armour."
Other winners were Violet Macdonald, of Australia, in the 11 to 14 years section, and Sophie Stephen-son-Wright in the 15 to 18 catagory.
Later in the week Ted's daughter, Frieda Hughes, will present more awards.
The festival runs until Tuesday.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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